Religion and economic behaviour of households, firms and groups in India

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22K20135
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0107:Economics, business administration, and related fields
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Yamamoto Asuka 九州大学, 比較社会文化研究院, 講師 (20962856)
• Project Period (FY): 2022-08-31 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: インド / 宗教 / 相続 / 賃金 / 人的資本 / 寺院 / NGO（トラスト、ソサエティ） / 農村

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The main outcome of this research project is a study that significantly revised and expanded a portion of my doctoral dissertation, which was published as a peer-reviewed article in Volume 70, Issue 1 of "Asian Studies." This study elucidated how the wage gap structure between Hindu Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and Muslims has changed, and identified the factors contributing to the wage gap between the two groups. Additionally, I have a bulletin paper on religion and the economics of religion in India, and an English paper on the reform of inheritance law and its impact on human capital, which is currently under peer review.

Furthermore, I conducted multiple rounds of fieldwork at Indian companies, Hindu and Sikh temples, and rural areas. The research on pilgrimage and religious behavior has already been presented at a seminar, and I aim to refine it and submit it to a peer-reviewed journal within the fiscal year 2024.

Free Research Field

開発経済学、インド経済論

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

階層間格差が依然として深刻であるインドにおいて、宗教的属性に係る制度的な不平等が、社会的弱者層の中でもさらに格差を生じさせている可能性を示唆したという点が、本研究課題の主たる成果の学術的意義である。さらに、ヒンドゥー至上主義的な立場にある現政権の政策を踏まえると、個人の宗教性が経済に与える影響と、経済発展が個人や団体の宗教性に与える影響の双方を実証的に分析することは、学術的・社会的に意義があるため、今後も研究を継続する。